I am weak

A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by someone who wanted to sell me their old Riding magazines. Any email like that is always two edged: hurrah, because there are still plenty I lack, particularly from the 1950s, and wince, because of recent months, what with writing the book and all, I haven't been very good in keeping on top of what I've bought. There were piles of elderly equestrian magazines all over the place in my office. 

So, I screwed my courage to the sticking place, and sorted.

I now know what I've got, and what I haven't. There are duplicates, which in one way is good, as now when people ask me if I have any for sale I can say yes. As long as they don't want the duplicates I want, that is. I've had a pile of magazines from the 1930s sitting in a thoughtful pile since the sort out. They are duplicates, because I have bound copies of all the 1930s editions. The thing with bound copies though, is that they don't have the front covers. And I like the front covers. How could I get rid of these? How?

They're so pretty. Look at the lovely typography, and those gorgeous period photographs. For the sake of completeness and historical accuracy I do need them, of course. I do. The covers are an intrinsic part of the magazines. Quite where I'm going to put them, now I've decided I do need duplicates, is another matter.